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| (Credit: Abbotsford Canucks) |
The Texas Stars entered Game 1 of the AHL Western Conference Finals having never seen the Abbotsford Canucks in franchise history, and with only one chance to make a first impression, Game 1 of the AHL Western Conference Finals introduced them to a group who may be their biggest test yet.
Remi Poirier made 46 saves before ultimately surrendering the overtime winner to Christian Wolanin as the Stars fell 3-2 Thursday night at the Abbotsford Centre.
It was a deflating end to what was, ultimately, a spectacular effort from a team who opened the series on the road only a few days from traveling nearly half way across the country. It was a first meeting that left quite the impression on the Stars, who had yet to face a team that could match their dynamic speed and play extremely physical on the forecheck.
“They’re a very good hockey club,” Stars Head Coach Neil Graham told Texas play-by-play announcer John Peterson pregame. “We watched a lot of their games against Colorado and against Coachella Valley. They’re well respected across the league, we know that, and frankly I think their depth is something that has been a real strong point for their group.”
When asked how to best tackle a group they’ve never seen while on the road, Graham did not hesitate.
“Let’s get out of the gates,” he said. “Let’s play to our identity. Let's play fast, and let's play direct.”
Kole Lind heard the message and put Texas up 1-0 off a chance created by what has become a signature of the team, below the goal line play. More than halfway through the first period, Texas sent the puck into the corner and put immediate pressure on the lone Abbotsford defenseman behind the net.
Sure enough, a misplay by the Canucks forced the puck to Cameron Hughes, who skated up the opposite corner drawing the Abbotsford defense toward him. With that space Hughes found Lind wide open in the slot and placed a cross ice pass that he quickly finished off to make it 1-0.
Whether through speed or physicality on the forecheck, it has been a calling card of the Stars all season to build their chances and cycle the puck from below the goal line. The goal brought out a physical response from Abbotsford that ultimately led to an equalizer from veteran Guillaume Brisebois who bounced the puck off of Poirier and into the net.
The Canucks built on that momentum in the second period and forced 15 saves out of Poirier before Ty Mueller was able to tap in the go-ahead goal after an extended offensive zone shift finally broke down the Texas defense.
Needing a response, the Stars got one from a player that had been missing nearly all playoffs as Antonio Stranges scored his first goal of the postseason to tie the game at two at 12:10 of the second period. It was Stranges' first goal since March when an injury against the Ontario Reign forced him out of the lineup for nearly nine weeks.
“Felt really good,” Stranges said after the game. “Just saw some ice, took it, but definitely felt really good.”
The score held for the rest of regulation as Poirier was under siege for the second half of the game, facing 30 combined shots in the second and third periods, before ultimately letting in the game winner.
“They’re physical, and they’re fast,” Stranges said. “We learned the way they breakout, little things like that. They’re a really good hockey team, and it’s going to be a really good series.”
Texas will get an immediate chance to even the series as they return to the Abbotsford Centre for Game 2 Saturday night at 9PM
Tonight's lines
Hughes-Hryckowian-Lind
Blümel-Hyry-McKenzie
Pettersen-Becker-Stranges
Seminoff-Scott-Romano
Capobianco-Krys
Taylor-Karow
Looft-White
Poirier
Injures, scratches and notes
Bergsland, Wheatcroft, Thomson, Chisholm, Terness, Ertel, Bertucci, White, Arcuri, Kyrou, Martino, Punnett, Shlaine, Hemming (scratch)
McDonald (out for season)
Tonight's attendance was 5,643.
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